Data driver that sets data output orders of channels based on data output order information and a display device including the same

Abstract

A display device including: a display panel including first and second display areas, and including pixels in the first and second display areas; and a data driver to output data signals to the pixels through a channels arranged along a first direction, wherein the channels include a first channel group corresponding to the first display area and a second channel group corresponding to the second display area, wherein some of the pixels emit light in different colors and have a first pixel arrangement along the first direction, and based on channel selection information about the first or second channel groups, the data driver outputs first data signals in a first output order along the first direction corresponding to the first pixel arrangement through the first channel group, and outputs second data signals in a second output order different from the first output order through the second channel group.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A display device, comprising:
 a processor outputting channel selection information and image data corresponding to an image; 
 a data driver outputting data signals through channels based on the image data; and 
 a display panel including pixels that emit light based on the data signals, 
 wherein the data driver sets a first output order of the data signals for first channels, which are a selected part of the channels based on channel selection information, to be different from a second output order of the data signals for second channels other than the first channels among the channels, 
 wherein the data driver changes the first output order of the data signals output through the first channels based on data output order information provided from the processor. 
 
     
     
       2. The display device according to  claim 1 , wherein the data driver is one integrated circuit. 
     
     
       3. The display device according to  claim 1 , wherein the first channels include a first channel, a second channel, and a third channel sequentially arranged along a first direction,
 wherein the data driver outputs a first data signal to the first channel, a second data signal to the second channel, and a third data signal to the third channel according to the first output order, 
 wherein the second channels include a fourth channel, a fifth channel, and a sixth channel sequentially arranged along the first direction, 
 wherein the data driver outputs the third data signal to the fourth channel, the second data signal to the fifth channel, and the first data signal to the sixth channel according to the second output order, and 
 wherein voltage ranges of the first, second, and third data signals are different from each other. 
 
     
     
       4. The display device according to  claim 1 , wherein the data driver comprises:
 a first digital-to-analog converter configured to generate at least one of the data signals using first gamma voltages of a first voltage range; 
 a second digital-to-analog converter configured to generate at least one of the data signals using second gamma voltages of a second voltage range; and 
 a third digital-to-analog converter configured to generate at least one of the data signals using third gamma voltages of a third voltage range, 
 wherein each of the channels is connected to one of the first to third digital-to-analog converters, and 
 a connection order between the first to third digital-to-analog converters and the second channels is changed based on the channel selection information. 
 
     
     
       5. The display device according to  claim 1 , wherein the channel selection information includes a first value indicating a first channel in the second channels and a second value indicating a last channel in the second channels. 
     
     
       6. The display device according to  claim 1 , wherein the second output order is a reverse order of the first output order. 
     
     
       7. The display device according to  claim 1 , wherein the processor provides at least one of the channel selection information and the data output order information to the data driver with a cycle of one frame. 
     
     
       8. The display device according to  claim 7 , wherein the image data includes frame data,
 wherein the processor transmits frame protocol data for the frame data, and 
 wherein the frame protocol data includes the channel selection information or the data output order information. 
 
     
     
       9. The display device according to  claim 8 , wherein the data driver changes an output order of the channels in a vertical blank period between frame periods in which the frame data is transmitted. 
     
     
       10. The display device according to  claim 1 , wherein the processor provides the channel selection information or the data output order information to the data driver for each pixel row. 
     
     
       11. The display device according to  claim 10 , wherein the image data includes line data corresponding to the pixel row,
 wherein the processor transmits line protocol data for the line data, and 
 wherein the line protocol data for the line data includes the channel selection information or the data output order information. 
 
     
     
       12. The display device according to  claim 11 , wherein the data driver changes an output order of the channels in a horizontal blank period between horizontal periods in which the line data are transmitted. 
     
     
       13. The display device according to  claim 1 , wherein the display panel further includes:
 a first display area; 
 a second display area; and 
 first fan-out lines extending from a non-display area adjacent to the first display area through the first display area and connected to the pixels in the second display area, 
 wherein the first channels correspond to the first display area and the second channels correspond to the second display area, and 
 wherein the second channel group is connected to the pixels in the second display area through the first fan-out lines. 
 
     
     
       14. The display device according to  claim 13 , wherein the display panel further includes:
 a third display area spaced apart from the second display area with the first display area interposed therebetween; and 
 second fan-out lines extending from a non-display area adjacent to the first display area through the first display area and connected to the pixels in the third display area, 
 wherein the channels further include third channels corresponding to the third display area, and 
 wherein the third channels are connected to the pixels in the third display area through the second fan-out lines. 
 
     
     
       15. A data driver, comprising:
 channels, wherein the data driver is configured to output data signals based on input data corresponding to an image through the channels, 
 wherein, based on channel selection information, the data driver changes an output order of the data signals for some of the channels so that a portion of the image is horizontally inverted, 
 wherein the data driver changes an output order of the data signals output through the some of the channels based on data output order information. 
 
     
     
       16. The data driver according to  claim 15 , wherein the data driver is one integrated circuit. 
     
     
       17. The data driver according to  claim 15 , wherein the channel selection information includes a first value indicating a first channel in the some of the channels and a second value indicating a last channel in the some of the channels. 
     
     
       18. The data driver according to  claim 15 , comprising:
 first, second, and third digital-to-analog converters each configured to generate the data signals using different gamma voltages; and 
 a switching unit connecting the first, second, and third digital-to-analog converters and the channels, 
 wherein the switching unit changes an order of connection between the first, second, and third digital-to-analog converters and some channels selected from among the channels based on the channel selection information. 
 
     
     
       19. A display device, comprising:
 a processor outputting channel selection information and image data corresponding to an image; 
 a data driver outputting data signals through channels based on the image data; and 
 a display panel including pixels that emit light based on the data signals, 
 wherein the data driver sets a first output order of the data signals for first channels, which are a selected part of the channels based on channel selection information, to be different from a second output order of the data signals for second channels other than the first channels among the channels, 
 wherein the first channels include a first channel, a second channel, and a third channel sequentially arranged along a first direction, 
 wherein the data driver outputs a first data signal to the first channel, a second data signal to the second channel, and a third data signal to the third channel according to the first output order, 
 wherein the second channels include a fourth channel, a fifth channel, and a sixth channel sequentially arranged along the first direction, 
 wherein the data driver outputs the third data signal to the fourth channel, the second data signal to the fifth channel, and the first data signal to the sixth channel according to the second output order, and 
 wherein voltage ranges of the first, second, and third data signals are different from each other.